Covid for 4 weeks & still bed ridden. Anyone else had prolonged severe illness without hospitalization
Posted , 209 users are following.
Hi,
I've had Covid19 for 4 weeks and if I had the energy I'd be tearing my hair out.
I've had 2 sets of prohylactic antibiotics to safeguard against bacterial infections, my temperature has been up and down but never higher than 38 the entire illness.
I've had severe neuropathy during the illness and some kind of night seizures accompanying the other more well publicised symptoms that mean my sleep is terrible also.
I went to hospital Day 14 after a week of seriously thinking I'm on death's door and my blood oxygen was good enough to be sent home for follow up at the Covid Hubs where they basically just take temperature, pulse and oxygen levels.
I was prescribed a 2nd course of antibiotics there as my temperature was still up and they are checking in on me every few days.
Meanwhile I am having one better day, then another terrible day, then a better day then a worse day..But 'better' is still bed ridden, just means I can breath well enough and not too dizzy to make myself my own cup of tea, have a shower and engage in some small talk with my family.
Everytime I have a good few hours I think, that must be me getting well now, but no, 4 weeks later and the last 24 hrs my breathlessness has been worse than it was for the previous 5 days..Am about ready to shoot myself.
Is there anyone else that's experienced being so ill with this virus outside of an ICU setting where it's carried on this long?
Even ICU patients are recovering in 3-6weeks .
Cannot understand why I'm not getting well yet.
I have no underlying health issues and I'm in my 30s.
I don't know if I still have Covid or if this is post viral inflammation and fatigue..There is no way of knowing as they are not testing community cases. Every doctor just says it's definitely Covid but I have no idea if I've passed the peak of the illness or if i should still be worried it could get worse.
Just feel it's going on forever.
Be great to know if there's any non hospital stories of people being sick, as in still unable to do a thing this length of time.
Thanks!
19 likes, 5383 replies
julie35925 Res35
Edited
hi, I started with mild symptoms 4 weeks ago, mild cough, low grade temp only around 38, breathlessness. my husband had the same, but after 6 days he is back to normal (he us a 47 year old type 1 diabetic), i have no underlying illness but my symptoms keep coming and going. I felt better and thought i had got thru it, but every day changes. my throat is sore, cough still around, and days are different levels of breathlessness. just want to feel better, or just to know its not going to get worse.
julie97362 julie35925
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It really is horrible not knowing what is going on, but hopefully we are all just having a very long winded version of it. Im trying to tell myself not to push it, but its difficult.
Lulu2020 julie35925
Posted
My symptoms started with sore throat which slowly got worse and then the cough started. I am about 4/5 weeks in depending on whether you count first week with very slight sore throat but no other symptoms. Week 2/3 were the worst but still I am same as each day is different and feel so tired and teary as just can't see any light at end of tunnel even though when I look back I am making progress. Night time is the worst when you are tired and breathing seems more difficult and every night the sore throat is back. I think it is also the anxiety of not knowing what is going on which makes it so much worse. Wishing you better soon.
MRMR julie35925
Posted
Really feel for you Julie.
I am going through similar process; up and down and gets worse. Breathlessnes is scariest thing for me right now.
cindy45490 julie97362
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Hello everyone, I'm so sorry that y'all are going through this for so long, I thought i was alone, do any of you have any updates? are you feeling better, I'm am praying you are ❤❤
monielove770 Lulu2020
Posted
LuLu2020,
My heart goes out to you. I am in the same boat. I yearn to get better but I see no light. No matter what do not give up. Keep fighting building your body stronger. Prayer has helped ease the anxiety. But each day it is very much a struggle. Glad to know I am not alone.
moon53540 Res35
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Is your diagnosis of covid 19 a guess by the NHS staff because there are not enough tests? If it is, can you say exactly what symptoms you have had? When you say night seizures what do you mean? Did you catch it from someone you know? I know they say with this virus if you are around someone with the illness a lot, you are more likely to get worse symptoms even if they have mild symptoms. Sorry to ask so many questions but I am very curious about this and how it is being handled.
Res35 moon53540
Edited
I think my husband and I got it early March in Paris. He had no taste and smell for 10 days but essentially was fine otherwise.
It's firmly suspected Covid but no test..They are not testing unless you are admitted for a hospital stay.
I started having seizures 2 weeks in to the illness. I get numb tingling then gripping vice like pain all down the left side of my body and an all round feeling of weird buzzy nerves. Always happens at night when am either falling asleep or asleep and the next morning I'm a wreck cause of how hard.my muscles have cramped and jerked.
I've had bloods and nothing untoward there other than iron slightly high so it's not a deficiency and seems to have been caused by Covid.
moon53540 Res35
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Are you taking any medications or anything at the moment? There are certain medications that can make you have seizures that is why I ask. I have had problems when I took certain antihistamines and codeine at the same time in the past. When you are ill you are more likely to take painkillers and at this time of year with the pollen count high you are more likely to take antihistamine. I understand this may not be the case with you, but just in case you are taking either one try stopping and see if it helps. I really hope you get better soon, it sounds really scary what you are going through and I hope you pull through quickly. They recommend taking vitamin d as it supposed to strengthen your immune system. Good luck!
Res35 moon53540
Edited
Thanks,
Just paracetamol till last week when switched to ibuprofen on doctors orders.
Same seizures with both.
No other meds but the antibiotics they gave me and was having the seizures before I started them so is def Covid related and happening whether I have fever or no fever also.
stuart68c Res35
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I am so glad I found this thread! Four and a half weeks ago I started with a dry irritating non productive cough, slight headache and fatigue. This has developed into an awful breathlessness. I feel like I am at high altitude! There's never been a fever and no aches and pains but the fatigue has been terrible. I feel like my chest is full of something but coughing fails to produce anything. I have been getting increasingly worried about my failure to improve. There have been days where I thought I was getting better but then the next day I would feel terrible again. So frustrating.
I live with elderly parents at the moment and had to quarantine in my room for two weeks. Thankfully they have (so far) not contracted anything which made me wonder if I have something other than a virus. Seeing the replies here though, it all seems quite familiar.
My GP has given me antibiotics (just in case) and an inhaler which hasn't helped.
Sleeping is fine if I lay on my side at a 45 degree angle. I wake up thinking I'm fine but then once I get out of bed, boff! the breathlessness hits me.
Seeing the responses on here gives me hope that we will all eventually get better and that I am not alone.
michelle2310 stuart68c
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i'm exactly the same, wake up thinking todays the day i get better, get up and it hits me again, sometimes if i'm lucky i get a few hours if relief before it starts up again.
julie35925 stuart68c
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hi, It really helps to know you are not going through it alone. There does not seem to be enough information out there yet to say that this may last longer than a week or two. Everyone is still learning about it. The most depressing thing for me is feeling better for a day, thinking I have turned a corner, and then you feel worse again. My GP just says to ring 111, but they are just saying to sit it out, which I do understand as there is nothing they can do Helps to talk to others with simular issues. All take care.
gemma26100 stuart68c
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Hi all.
Been to A&E today as felt worse. Still breathless a d starting getting more pains in chest so this prompted me to go as been putting it off. I have had a full check of bloods, Ecg, blood pressure and oxygen levels and they were happy I haven't got pneumonia and lungs were clear. So I was allowed home. I still feel awful, fatigue like never before like a walking zombie and no energy a d breathless. So called my Gp on return to ask if anything they could give ti help with breathlessness. She has given me more steroids but pointed out that she could see the results from hospital on her screen and said it doesn't look like I was actually tested for Covid 19!! We didn't believe this so called A&E back. A nurse said that apparently what they are doing is only testing those whose bloods are unusual a d chest X-ray's not clear a d who have to stay in hospital. So in all the tests I had today , have not been tested! And still feel I'll. So it looks like we have to ride it out at home!! Hope it goes soon. 4 weeks now. So tired of it.
michael68152 gemma26100
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Sorry to hear Gemma. Although it's pretty damning to hear you've been advised to sit tight through this ordeal, at least we're not alone on this one. Frustrating they didn't test you though!
Best wishes.
Res35 michael68152
Edited
They are testing no one that's not admitted.
I had to go back to A&E yesterday cause seizures were so bad previous night ( seizures I've never ever had before this illness).
They are sending me to a heart clinic as they think i've potentially picked up an arrhythmia!
Happy days!
Res35 stuart68c
Edited
Hi Stuart,
Sounds like we've had it the same amount of time.
It's hugely disheartening.
I wonder why your doctor gave you an inhaler. Apparently inhalers dont tackle the route of Covid breathlessness as it's caused by something different to why people with asthma cant breath.
My GP said an inhaler would be useless when I asked a few weeks ago.
The doctor at the hospital said to me given the length of time ice had it that I may be a super spreader so to be very careful who I was around. Given I'm mainly in bed though that's not a tricky one!😂
Really hope we all get well soon.
stuart68c Res35
Edited
I think the doc gave me an inhaler just in case I have asthma. My doc can only go by what I tell her I guess, plus there's other illnesses out there as well as cv19. She said they don't know enough about this virus and are still figuring it out. I also think she just wanted to be seen to do something for me as she couldn't see me, and neither would the hospital. I was grateful anyway as I'll try anything to get some relief! Fingers crossed for all of us.
stuart68c gemma26100
Posted
Hi Gemma, I was wondering how you got to go to A&E as my hospital said they would turn me away if I turned up with these symptoms. Did you have to go by ambulance? Good news you don't have pneumonia. I hope you feel better soon.
michael68152 stuart68c
Posted
I also went to A&E, this was 2 weeks ago. I was driven there by a relative, checked over at A&E then briefly taken to the respiratory unit - the backbone of C19 treatment - where I was looked over and then discharged. All in all, I spent an hour there.
lesley09051 gemma26100
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hi. I'm sorry you are still feeling unwell. I am also in my 4th week and having issues with sore throat, cough, feeling like its closing up. I can honestly say I think anxiety is a massive issue with this virus which also unfortunately doesn't help with these symptoms. I hope you are on the mend and remember thousands of people are going through this with you. you are not alone.
Rufio222 stuart68c
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Hey Stuart,
I just saw your post and am going through a similar experience. Early 30s, male, no prior health issues (that is probably why I have been so concerned about this... I am not used to being sick). No fever or cough, but a very strange and scary sensation on the left side of my chest and fatigue have been ailing me for two months. I tested positive a month ago, then negative about a week ago, yet the chest pain on one side persists. Doc says my heart and lungs are fine, so it is hard to explain the reason for the sensation.
I see it has been two weeks since your original post. Have you made any progress? Also, like you, I am glad I stumbled upon this thread. Although I chiefly want everyone to be healthy, there is always great comfort knowing you are not alone.
stuart68c Rufio222
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Hi Rufio, thanks for your post. I did disappear from here for a couple of weeks as I had a really good period of improvement at 6 weeks, to the point I was convinced I was over it. I was waiting until I was 100% sure before posting the good news to everyone. I had had too many false dawns before that. Unfortunately the damned illness came back after a whole week of feeling 80% back to normal. I was devastated and have been back here posting many times since. I am at 8 weeks 3 days now.
You're certainly not alone here and it is so helpful having everyone to talk to. I'm sorry you had to come here though, it's not a club anyone wants to be in!!😉
I have had a good couple of days and I'm going to remain positive that it will continue. I hope the same for you.
Rufio222 stuart68c
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Thank you, my friend. It truly is bizarre. Most people I know who have tested positive had no symptoms at all, but there are some who have had it even longer than me (2 months +) who still feel the chest or have a cough, etc. I guess the only answer for now is to keep taking it easy and taking our vitamins. I hope you and everyone else here have good news in very near future.
stuart68c Rufio222
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Thanks Rufio. Yes I think we have to be patient but we'll get there, I'm sure of it. Keep us updated with your progress. Take care. All the best.
john48478 Rufio222
Posted
hi rufio stumbled across your comment about a weird sensation i have been ill with symptoms like everyones on here for 11 weeks now is the sensation like a tingling? as i have experienced this in my cheeks hands and legs and chest ongoing